HILLSBORO — Stanley Robert Zajdel, a former Franciscan priest and member of St. Matthew Parish, died Sunday, Aug. 24 at his home after a long battle with multiple myeloma. He was 71.
Mr. Zajdel was born on Sept. 2, 1936 in Gary, Ind., to Stanley Paul and Sophie Zajdel. He attended St. Joseph Grade School in Gary, Ind., followed by Mount St. Francis Seminary in Southern Indiana and Assumption Seminary in Chaska, Minn., where he earned a Master’s in Divinity.
In 1963 Mr. Zajdel was ordained a priest as a member of the Conventual Franciscan Order. He was a priest for seven years and served in Indiana, Michigan, and New Mexico until he requested and received a dispensation from Pope Paul VI.
He married Sandra Fiero in 1972 in Brooklyn, Mich., and the couple settled in Summit County, Colo., where he began his career with State Farm Insurance and served as an agent until they moved to Hillsboro in 1979. Mr. Zajdel became an agency manager for State Farm Insurance in Washington County for 11 years and later returned to being an agent in Portland until his retirement in 2000.
An avid rose-grower and exhibitor, Mr. Zajdel collected Lionel trains and enjoyed creating layouts to run them. He also enjoyed outdoor activities, genealogy and exploring his Polish roots and traveling.
He is survived by his wife; daughter Ann Gruben; son Dan Zajdel; siblings Franciscan Father Bernard Zajdel, Kathleen Johnston and Robert Zajdel and granddaughter Audrey Marie Gruben.
A funeral Mass was Aug. 29 at St. Matthew, followed by Rite of Christian Burial at Calvary Cemetery in LaPorte, Ind.
Donations may be made to International Myeloma Foundation.